Josh Ozersky has strong feelings about low-fat hamburgers.

“A lean burger is an abominable object,” says Ozersky, author of “The Hamburger: A History.” “Everything that is valuable in the meat lies in the fat. The way I think of it is, the fat is the meat and meat is the vegetable.”

The prevailing wisdom in traditional burger making is using an 80 percent lean ground beef. This fatty variety of meat creates a sublime patty that oozes meaty juice with each bite. Low-fat varieties too often result in patties that are lean, but lousy.

Not willing to downsize? Cut 85 percent beef with lean ground buffalo, ostrich or emu. A half-pound burger made from a 1-to-1 ratio of 85 percent beef and buffalo, for example, sports 450 calories and 30 grams of fat.

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef

1 pound ground buffalo

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Heat a grill to medium-high.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Form the mixture into 4 patties.

When the grill is ready, coat the grates with cooking spray or rub them with an oil-soaked paper towel held by tongs. Grill the burgers for 5 to 8 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 450 calories; 266 calories from fat; 30 g fat (12 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 147 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrate; 42 g protein; 0 g fiber; 723 mg sodium.